Methods and apparatus for the processing of textile materials



Dec. 25, 1956 H. KABELITZ 2,775,046

METHCD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PROCESSING OF TEXTILE MATERIALS Filed May 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 25, 1956 H. KABELITZ 2,775,046

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PROCESSING OF TEXTILE MATERIALS Filed May 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fm/emort LMA; A44J United States Patent METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PROC- ESSING OF TEXTILE MATERIALS Hans Kabelitz, M. Gladbach, Germany, assignor to Gebriider Sucker G. m. b. H., M. Gladbach, Germany Application May 25, 1951, Serial No. 228,191

Claims priority, application Germany May 31, 1949, and Sweden September 14, 1949 Claims. (Cl. 3423) This invention relates to methods and apparatus for the intermittent or continuous physical, chemical or physio-chemical processing of textiles such as yarn, warps and fabrics, for example for such purposes as drying, fixing of dyes, steaming, impregnating, dressing, shrinking, bleaching or polymerizing.

It is known to perform such processes with the aid of individual processing devices or also with a series of processing devices operating sequentially upon the same textile material. As a rule a gaseous or vaporous processing agent or heat carrier is used, such as air, steam or air-water mixtures, which are applied at various temperatures, velocities, degrees of saturation and mixture proportions depending upon the particular treatment. This agent is blown onto the material in a vertical or inclined direction longitudinally or transversely to the feed direction of the material.

The processing speed obtainable with the known methods and devices are very slow in comparison with the absorptivity of the material or with the amount of material to be treated at the same time. The properties obtained leave much to be desired as they are impaired by mechanical stress and by undesired textural changes due to partially excessive temperatures or detrimental hydraulic conditions. As to energy and heat economy, the above-mentioned known processes are likewise far from satisfactory. Besides, in most cases the necessary equipment requires much space due to the low efiiciency of operation and the unproportionately high absorptivity of the amount of material to be treated simultaneously. A large proportion of the material may be wasted in the event of an interruption or defect of the processing operation.

Some recent processes, operating with material of low absorptivity and with high velocities of the processing agent, require blowing the agent forcefully against the material to be treated. As a result much of the sizing, finishing, impregnating or other similar agent is blown out of the material. This makes it necessary to use an agent of greatly increased concentration if the intended finishing effect is to be secured. Aside from the correspondingly increased cost, such highly concentrated agents infiltrate less easily into the material to be treated; and the rotary apparatus for producing the high pressures and velocities of the agent are notoriously inefficient because their power consumption is excessive due to the aerodynam-ical conditions under which they are to operate. Hence, higher processing costs are incurred without any equivalent improvement in the finished product. As to heat economy, the just mentioned processes have also been far from satisfactory.

It is an object of the present invention to provide methods and means for the processing of textile material, which afford greatly increasing the processing speed in comparison with the capacity of the required processing space. Another, correlated object of the invention is to improve the efliciency of operation by an improved utilization of the energy and heat supply, and by minimizing the residual losses.

To achieve these and such other objects as will be mentioned in, or apparent from, the following description, and in accordance with a feature of my invention, 1 subject the yarn, warp, fabric or other textile material to be treated to the gaseous or vaporous processing agent while the material is travelling through a confined channel space; and I conduct the agent, in constrained contact with the material, through the channel space at a high velocity and in a state of pronounced turbulence. That is, the flow velocity of the agent in the confined channel space is, without exception, above the critical Reynolds number. A transformation takes place from kinetic energy to pressure energy, while the agenthereinafter and in the claims simply referred to as gaseous although it may also be vaporous or consist of a mixture of air or steam with dispersed liquid or solid particlespasses through the channel parallel to the travel of the material. The process, according to another feature of the invention, may be so conducted that the fiow velocity of the agent gradually decreases toward the end of the processing zone so that it has a high velocity where it first reaches the material but a lowered velocity where the treated material leaves the processing zone.

According to another feature of the invention the gaseous processing agent is used repeatedly and to this end is conducted through a circulatory path which, outside the processing channel zone proper, may extend through heat exchangers, condensers or separators. Additional turbulence may be imparted to the agent as it passes through the processing zone. Depending upon the particular treatment to be performed, the agent may be used alone or it may be mixed or charged with solid, liquid or other gaseous substances. It is applied to the material from one or from both sides.

A device according to my invention, for performing the above-mentioned process, has an elongated nozzle-like channel structure to provide therein the enclosed channel space for the processing of the textile material. This channel structure may consist of several parts separable from each other. The channel structure, according to another feature of my invention, may be given a widening or tapering cross sectional shape over its entire length or along parts of the structure so that the channel has a retarding or accelerating efiect upon the flow of the agent passing therethrough.

The agent is circulated through the channel with only small aerodynamical losses and passes tangentially along the material, entering the nozzle-shaped channel with a high velocity so that at that place the driest portion of the material is first brought in contact with the agent. At a place subsequent in the circulatory path of the agent, the channel structure has preferably a gradually widening, difiuser-like portion so that the kinetic energy of the flow of agent is gradually transformed into energy of pressure so that the agent, at the end of the processing channel space, passes along the material with a reduced velocity, adapted to the material which has just been dressed, impregnated or finished. Hence, the agent can no longer blow any dressing, impregnating or finishing media out of the material.

' According to another feature of my invention, the circulation of the gaseous processing agent is maintained by means of a rotary impeller, such as a blower, which is connected with the end of the processing channel structure by a diffuser conduit. The agent leaving the channel space is guided into the difiuser by curved bafl'les so as to reach the diffuser at a reduced velocity and with only small losses in pressure. The diifuser reduces the velocity of the flowing agent to a further extent down to the suction velocity most favorable for the rotary impeller while greatly increasing the induction pressure. From the pressure side of the impeller the compressed agent may be conducted through heaters or other auxiliary devices before it reaches a collector space where it calms down and from which it again enters the processing channel. A nozzle-type baflle guide of curved shape is preferably provided between the collector space and the channel for suddenly transforming the high pressure flow into a high-velocity flow without appreciable losses. Any vacuum that may result from expansion occurring at the channel entrance, causes residual moisture to evaporate from the material and thus has a favorable drying effect upon the material.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of my invention will be aparent from, or will be set forth in the following with reference to the drawings in which:

Fig. l is a schematic, longitudinal section through a preferred embodiment of processing equipment according to the invention, in which a Web material to be processed is horizontally passed through two processing units and is treated in each unit by a gaseous agent simultaneously from above and from below, thus involving a total of four circulatory conduit systems for the gaseous agent; and

Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a modified channel structure applicable in apparatus otherwise designed in accordance with Fig. 1.

The equipment shown in Fig. 1 comprises an enclosure 1 whose interior space 1 is traversed by the strand or web material to be treated. Disposed within the enclosed space 1 are two processing units, generally denoted by A and B, which are serially aligned along the path of the material, The two units may have the same design and operation. Hence, only the unit A is shown sectionally and in detail and will be described presently.

The unit A (or B) is horizontally traversed by the material to be processed and serves to treat the material by a gaseous agent simultaneously from above and from below. The unit has a horizontal channel structure 2 which is supplied with the gaseous agent through two rotary impellers 3, for example, blowers or injectors. The material 4, when passing through the space 1, is guided by transporting or clamping devices or is more or less freely suspended. Fixed or adjustable deflectors and 5 of curved shape serve to pass the processing agent onto the material 4 with as little shock as possible and to discharge the agent after it has passed through the channel 2. When the agent has passed along the deflectors 5' at the channel exit, it is inducted through the diffuser 6 into the rotary impeller 3 which imparts to the agent the necessary velocity or pressure. From impeller 3, the fluid processing agent passes selectively through one of two conduit paths depending upon the setting of a switch flap 7. When flap 7 is in one position, the agent passes through heat exchangers 8, which are connected in parallel or in series relation or also in groups. When flap 7 is in another position, an amount of agent depending upon the position of a control device '7, bypasses the heat exchangers and passes through the duct 9. In either case, the agent then reaches a calm-down space 10 whence it returns to the processing chanel 2 to repeat its circulation.

A switching device 11 is located in front of the deflectors 5 near the channel entrance opening. Device 11 makes it possible to impart a desired turbulence to the flowing agent, and/or to divert part of the flow into a duct 12 which is provided with slits or nozzle-like devices 13. These devices permit directin the diverted part of the agent back into the channel 2 in order to introduce or to conveniently maintain a mixing or whirling motion, or to make such motion effective in desired localities or intervals. Furthermore, an admixture, for example an active or contact substance, or a fluid especially selected for the treatment, may be supplied from the outside to the duct 12 and may be mixed with the agent when the switching device 11 is open or closed; or such added substance may be blown directly onto the material through the slits or nozzles 13. In addition, mechanical turbulence producers 14, for example oscillating steel-strings or bands, and exhauster devices 15 are arranged in chan nel 2.

Switching devices 16 are provided in the induction conduit 20 of the impellers 3, so that the impellers 3, when devices 16 are accordingly set, induct not only the circulating agent, but also any medium from the outside of the enclosed space 1. Additional deflector baffles 17 are located behind the deflectors 5' at the exit of channel 2. Much of the amount of processing agent or mixture escaping from the channel is diverted by the baflles 17 and is returned into the processing circulation or, if desired, is withdrawn from the equipment through a duct 18. Packings 19 of the mechanical, hydraulical or pneumatical type and controllable in any desired manner are provided at the entrance and exit slits for the material in order to maintain a given pressure level within the enclosed space ll of the equipment.

According to Fig. 2, the processing channel 2 has funnel-shaped entrance and exit portions 2 and 2" with an intermediate straight portion 2'. Portion 2 operates as an accelerator, portion 2" provides a high-velocity path, and portion 2' a retarder for the fluid medium passing through the channel. This design, in conjunction with the added guide baflles 5", secures a circulation of the agent as much as possible without losses.

As is apparent from the above-described embodiments, the circulatory system for the processing agent, aside from slight leakage losses, is entirely closed and is wholly disposed within the sealed space 1 of the enclosure 1'. This secures an excellent heat economy as each circulatory system is surrounded by hot leakage gases thus being virtually embedded in a perfectly heat-insulating casing. It will also be recognized that several processes can readily be carried out simultaneously or successively, and it will be understood that the material may be passed through the equipment continuously or intermittently. The enclosure 1' may be given a double-walled design and, as shown, may be sealed against the atmosphere.

In contrast to the known processes, the process according to the invention can readily be carried out with a processing speed and with a flow velocity of the processing agent exclusively above the speed values corresponding to the Reynolds number; and the circulatory flow of processing agent, preferably in opposition to the travelling direction of the material, involves always a repetitive transformation of kinetic energy into pressure energy.

In further distinction from known processes, such as those requiring the processing agent to be blown from nozzles in a perpendicular or inclined direction against the material, the invention avoids detrimental mechanical or thermal stresses, such as the blowing of finishing substance out of or through the material. Also in the process according to the invention, the material to be treated does not pass through any dammed-up region of the processing agent. Indeed, any impact losses due to sudden interception of the flow of agent by the material are basically avoided thus securing not only an improved efliciency of the circulation but also an always constant treatment and hence improved properties of the treated material.

By virtue of the turbulent flow condition of the process ing agent, the invention atfords a speed of reaction and diffusion and a heat exchanger between agent and material far superior to what could heretofore be attained.

The high turbulence of the flow of processing agent necessary for the process can be secured not only by a proper choice of the speed, but also by suitable turbulence producers of a mechanical or hydraulical type, such as those shown at 14. These turbulence producers, singly or conjointly, may be adjustable in size within certain limits. In spite of the turbulent current of processing agent, no detrimental stresses can occur since the material is stressed only longitudinally by friction forces rather than by dammed-up or shock forces.

In the sizing and drying of yarn, for example, there is the essential advantage over the known processes that any small fibres projecting from the yarns are pressed against the yarn in the direction of the much higher current velocity of the agent. Consequently a warp of such a yarn, running from a warp beam through a weavingloom, has a directed texture most favorable for the weaving operation. In the treatment of woven or other web material, for example, the material may be passed through the processing equipment in the preferred direction depending upon the desired texture or finish.

The term warp of yarn is herein employed in the customary sense of an array of substantially aligned or juxtapositioned, unattached, unwebbed, unwoven strands suited to be fed to the weaving operation. The term individual strand refers to these unattached elements as distinguished from webs of paper or the like in which the paper fibers are cross-joined by matting, and as distinguished from woven fabrics. The process has special application to arrays of parallel unattached strands. The predominantly longitudinal feeding of the gaseous treating agent along the strand is critical in order to obtain the directed texture efi'ect noted above and because transverse impacting of the strands by the very high velocity streams employed here tend to stretch and break the filament. Also, a transverse blast would disarray the strands and push one against another. Any sizing present would cause the disarrayed strands to stick together.

In heat economical respects, the invention has the advantage that when the treatment requires the use of vaporous agents whose condensates are the main constituents to be subsequently steamed out of the goods, such agents may remain in the circulation in an over-heated condition. Hence, no exterior heat losses occur; and the heat dissipation of the closed circulation system is limited to the heat losses needed for the treatment process itself since the system is efficiently insulated by the hot leakage and surplus gases in the space 1 of the enclosure 1.

When using gases which absorb the liquid constituents in a vaporous state and carry them through the circulation, only part of the circulatory flow need be directed to the outside for recovering the condensates, or for maintaining a desired pressure level or utilizing the energy contained in the diverted part of the flow.

The fact that in a process and equipment according to the invention the gaseous processing agent, confined within a virtually closed circuit remains continuously in a flowing movement and can be passed through diifusers for transforming part of its kinetic energy into pressure energy, has the advantage that the rotary impeller or blower is only called upon to provide the power needed for overcoming the frictional flow resistances. This represents a considerable improvement from the power-economical viewpoint over the known processes requiring the agent to be periodically compressed and accelerated practically always from the state of expansion and rest up to full pressure and full velocity.

that obtaining at the condenser pressure. The energy thus obtained can again be introduced into the circulation system and its auxiliary devices. In case the agent used and the substance extracted from the material are to act as a heat carrier, for example vapor, then this heat carrying medium may be passed through a compressor of little power consumption to be thus compressed to the supply pressure of the heat source of the installation and its heat exchangers; and the heat of evaporation of the medium may additionally be utilized for heating. In case the agent is a gas with a boiling point below the freezing point of water, and the substance extracted from the material is a gas with a boiling point above the ice point, then the substance extracted from the material by the processing agent may be separated from the agent as a gas or condensate and may again be introduced into the circulation. The separation of the gas or condensate from the agent may be carried out by condensation of the substance extracted from the material, or by using a mechanical separator, heat exchangers, absorption media, or absorption devices or several of such means.

The above-described process according to the invention and the corresponding processing apparatus as exemplified by the described and illustrated embodiments can be readily adapted to various requirements. For instance, the heat absorption and the flow energy of the material, inclusive of any absorbed activating substances, should be adapted to the condition and gas constants of the processing agent as well as to the processing velocity, and such an adaptation under certain circumstances may have to take into account the external conditions to which the material is subjected immediately before or after the processing or such irregularities as may result from operational mistakes. The following regulation and control possibilities are available for such adapting purposes.

For normal operation it is possible to adjust the introduced heat energy and its temperature level by means of The circuit which, aside from small leakage losses, is v entirely closed and which, moreover, is disposed within a confined and closed space well sealed and heat insulated, the invention permits the use of processing agents, heretofore practically inapplicable, which as reaction or heat carriers or contact substances secure better and quicker results than the conventionally used agents.

To achieve an outmost reduction of power losses, and

in accordance with another feature of the invention, condensers may be connected to the processing channel for recovering the condensate of a substance to be driven out of the material being treated. For this purpose, the channel structure 2 may be given a double-Walled design, so that the accumulating vapors can be condensed within the intermediate wall space. The intermediate wall space then serves also as a heat insulator. The vapors to be condensed may be passed through an expansion turbine to thus utilize the residual elevation in temperature above heat exchangers as shown at 8 in Fig. 1. Depending upon the desired supply of heat, the heat exchangers may be connected parallel or in series, or in mutually series or parallel connected groups. The heat supplied to the exchangers from an exterior source or from a reaction process may also be regulated. The rotary impellers, exemplified by the blowers 3 in Fig. 3, may be automatically controlled by throttling means or a speed regulator.

It is customary to operate textile processing equipment temporarily at a reduced creeping or threading speed to permit the elimination of faults. To adapt the described process and equipment to such temporary'speed reductions and to avoid over-processing of the material, the equipment is preferably equipped with controllable bypasses around some or all of the heat exchangers. The above-described conduits 9 and the pertaining switch flaps 7 serve the just-mentioned purpose.

In the event of an intended or necessary interruption, for instance due to fault-responsive stoppage, the heat storage capacity of the equipment and the traces of reaction or contact substances still effective even if the impellers are stopped, may be detrimental to the textile material. For that reason, the apparatus should permit immediately supplying a protective or cooling medium, for example, air from the ambient atmosphere. The controls 16, described with reference to Fig. 1, afford such an introduction of cooling air or of any other gaseous cooling medium. The flow of cooling medium may touch the otherwise closed circulation system only along part of the processing channel. If the protective or cooling medium is of a type that need not be expelled into the free atmosphere, it may be conducted through a path outside. the processing channel, for instance, so as to be sub-- stantially confined to a circulatory system.

It is sometimes necessary for starting the processingto first thread the material through the processing channel and through the enclosed chamber surrounding the channel. This requires the use of clamps or other auxilia y means whi h h ld the en of the m eri l n serve to pull it through the channel and the pertaining packing and other components of the equipment. To facilitate such threading operations, the deflector bafiies 5, and the mechanical turbulence producer's 14 as well as any tensioning or limiting devices in or near the path of the material are preferably tiltable or otherwise movable out of the path. The deflector bafiies 5 and 5 in Figs. 1 and 2 are ShQwn tiltably mounted in the manner just described.

If the textile material to be processed is delicate or sensitive, it may be desirable to simplify the threading operation; and it may also be necessary to make the material in the processing channel rapidly accessible for the avoidance of losses or damage in the event of inevitable faults in the material which may appear or occur only during the processing. For such purposes, a portion of the processing chamber as well as the channel structure itself may be subdivided in the plane of the material to be processed so that the structure can be lifted or lowered from the other portion a distance sufiicient for performing the necessary manipulations.

I claim:

1. APParatus for the processing of warp and the like material, comprising a housing, guide means for conveying the material along a given straight path through said housing, a plurality of processing units serially disposed along respective portions of said path within said housing so as to be successively traversed by the material, each of said units being spaced from said housing to form an interstitial insulating chamber together therewith, and each unit comprising an individually enclosed gas circulation system having a processing channel surrounding the pertaining portion of said path and having supply means for gaseous processing agent, said supply means of each of said units having impeller means and conduit means joining said impeller means with said channel, said conduit means having a gas-issuing direction parallel to said path and having a cross section merging with the cross section of said channel to pass a flow of said agent longitudinally through said channel in parallel relation to said path, said channel having in normal operation a gas-flow condition above the critical Reynolds number so that said flow through said channel is completely turbulent, and each of said channels having a diffuser portion joined with the p'ertainin impeller means and having a cross-section widening toward said impeller means for decelerating said flow to a velocity below the turbulence value at the impeller end of said channel.

2. Apparatus for the processing of treated warp and the like material, comprising a housing, guide means for conveying the material along a given straight path through said housing, a plurality of processing units serially disposed along respective portions of said path within said housing so as to be successively traversed by the material, each of said units being spaced from said housing to form an interstitial insulating chamber together therewith, and each unit comprising an individually enclosed gas circulation system having a processing channel surrounding the pertaining portion of said path and having supply means for gaseous processing agent, said supply means of each of said units having two impeller means and impeller intake and outlet conduits joining each of said impeller means with said channel on opposite sides thereof, each of said impeller outlet conduits being providfid. With a portion having a gas-issuing direction parallel to said path and having a cross section merging with and tapering toward the cross section of said channel to pass a flow of said agent longitudinally through said channel in parallel relation to said path, said channel having in normal operation a gas-flow condition above the critical Reynolds number so that said how through said channel is completely turbulent, and each of said impeller intake conduits being provided with a portion having a gas removing direction parallel to said path and. having a cross-section widening toward said impeller means for decelerating said flow to diminish turbulence and the tendency of the gas to blow treating matter out of the material being processed.

3. Apparatus for the processing of treated warp and the like material, comprising a housing, guide means for conveying the material along a given straight path through said housing, a plurality of processing units serially disposed along respective portions of said path Within said housing so as to be successively traversed by the material, each of said units being spaced from said housing to form an interstitial insulating chamber together therewith, and each unit comprising an individually enclosed gas circulation system having a processing channel surrounding the pertaining portion of said path and having supply means for gaseous processing agent, said supply means of each of said units having two impeller means and impeller intake and outlet conduits joining each of said impeller means with said channel on opposite sides thereof, each of said impeller outlet conduits being provided with a portion having a gas-issuing direction parallel to said path and having a cross section merging with and tapering toward the cross section of said channel to pass a flow of said agent longitudinally through said channel in parallel relation to said path, said channel having in normal operation a gas-flow condition above the critical Reyno-lds number so that said flow through said channel is completely turbulent, and each of said impeller intake conduits being provided with a portion having a gas removing direction parallel to said path and having a crosssection widening toward said impeller means for decelerat ing said flow to diminish tendency for the gas to blow treating matter out of the material being processed, each of said impeller outlet and intake conduits having a second portion which is connected to and curves toward the first said portion, each of the second portions being provided with a plurality of curved guide baffies which are parallel to the respective curved portions.

4. Apparatus for the processing of treated warp and the like material, comprising guide means for passing the material along a given path, a straight channel structure enclosing part of said path and having an inlet and an outlet, supply means for gaseous processing agent having impeller means comprising two impellers and having conduit means joining each of said impellers with said inlet and outlet on opposite sides of the channel structure, said conduit means having a gas-issuing direction parallel to said path and having a cross section merging with and tapering toward the cross section of said channel structure to pass a gradually accelerated flow of said agent longitudinally through said channel structure in parallel relation to said path, said channel structure having a portion elongated along said path, said impeller means having relative to the cross section of said elongated channel portion a delivery rating above the critical Reynolds number of said How within and along said channel portion, said channel structure having a gas outlet diffuser portion coaxially merging with said elongated channel portion and having a flow cross-section widening in the gas flow direction so as to reduce the flow velocity to diminish the turbulence at the end of said diffuser portion to diminish tendency for the gaseous agent to blow treating matter out of the material being processed.

5. Apparatus for the processing of treatedwarp and the like material, comprising guide means for passing the material along a given path, a straight channel structure enclosing part of said path and having an inlet and an outlet, supply means for gaseous processing agent having impeller means comprising two impellers and having conduit means joining each of said impellers with said inlet and outlet on opposite sides of the channel structure, said conduit means having a gasa'ssuing direction parallel to said path and having a cross section merging with and tapering toward the cross section of said channel structure to a gradually accelerated flow 'ofsaid agent longitudinally through said channel structure in parallel relation to said path, said channel structure having a portion elongated along said path, said impeller means having relative to the cross section of said elongated channel out of the material being processed, said diifuser portion being connected by arcuate parts leading to respective impeller inlet conduit means, said arcuate parts each being provided with a plurality of laterally spaced bafiies extending parallel to the respective arcuate part.

6. Apparatus for the processing of treated warp and the like material, comprising guide means for passing the material along a given path, a straight channel structure enclosing part of said path and having an inlet and an outlet, supply means for gaseous processing agent having impeller means comprising two impellers and having conduit means joining each of said impellers with said inlet and outlet on opposite sides of the channel structure, said conduit means having a gas-issuing direction parallel to said path and having a cross section merging with and tapering toward the cross section of said channel structure to pass a gradually accelerated flow of said agent longitudinally through said channel structure in parallel relation to said path, said channel structure having a portion elongated along said path, said impeller means having relative to the cross section of said elongated channel portion a delivery rating above the critical Reynolds number of said flow within and along said channel portion, said channel structure having a gas outlet ditfuser portion coaxially merging with said elongated channel portion and having a flow crosssection widening in the gas flow direction so as to reduce the flow velocity to diminish the turbulence at the end of said diffuser portion to diminish tendency for the gaseous agent to blow treating matter out of the material being processed, said difluser portion being connected by arcuate parts leading to respective impeller inlet conduit means, said arcuate parts each being provided with a plurality of laterally spaced baifies extending parallel to the respective arcuate part, the conduit means leading from the outlets of the respective impellers having arcuate parts between the said merging cross section and the said outlets, said arcuate parts being provided with a plurality of laterally spaced baffles extending parallel to the respective arcuate parts.

7. Apparatus for the processing of treated warp and the like material, comprising guide means for passing the material along a given path, a straight channel structure enclosing part of said path and having an inlet and an outlet, supply means for gaseous processing agent having impeller means comprising two impellers and having conduit means joining each of said impellers with said inlet and outlet on opposite sides of the channel structure, said conduit means having a gas-issuing direction parallel to said path and having a cross section merging with and tapering toward the cross section of said channel structure to pass a gradually accelerated flow of said agent longitudinally through said channel structure in parallel relation to said path, said channel structure having a portion elongated along said path, said impeller means having relative to the cross section of said elongated channel portion a delivery rating above the critical Reynolds number of said flow within and along said channel portion, said channel structure having a gas outlet difiuser portion coaxially merging with said elongated channel portion and having a flow crosssection widening in the gas flow direction so as to reduce the flow velocity to diminish the turbulence at the end of said diffuser portionto diminish tendency for the gaseous agent to blow treating matter out of the material being processed, the said elongated portion of said channel structure having controllable lateral inlets for the additional supply of gaseous processing agent, and a control means which is positioned adjacent the said conduit means cross section defined as merging with the cross section of said channel structure, to control the proportion of gaseous processing agent passing to the controllable lateral inlets.

8. The method of processing a warp of unwoven and unwebbed yarn material which material has been treated with a treating agent, in which process the yarn material is stressed only longitudinally by a gaseous processing agent and in which process fibres projecting from the yarn are pressed against the yarn by longitudinally directed processing agent to give it a directed texture favorable for a subsequent weaving operation, which comprises passing a continuous individual strand of said yarn material through a processing zone, passing a fiow of gaseous processing agent into said zone longitudinally of the travelling direction of the strand and maintaining said flow substantially throughout said zone in parallel relation to the strand, imparting to the flow prior to its entrance into the major part of said zone a velocity greater than corresponds to the critical Reynolds number along the said major portion of said zone, and reducing the velocity of said flow to diminish turbulence toward the end of said zone where the processing agent leaves said zone, to diminish tendency for the gaseous agent to blow treating agent out of the strand.

9. The method of processing a warp of yarn material which material has been treated with a treating agent, in which process the yarn material, is stressed only longitudinally by a gaseous processing agent and in which process fibres projecting from the yarn arepressed against the yarn to give it a directed texture favorable for a subsequent weaving operation, which comprises passing a continuous individual strand of said yarn material through a processing zone, passing a flow of gaseous processing agent into said zone longitudinally of the travelling direction of the strand and maintaining said flow substantially throughout said zone in parallel relation to the strand, imparting to the flow prior to its entrance into the major part of said zone a velocity greater than corresponds to the critical Reynolds number along the said major portion of said zone, and reducing the velocity of said flow to reduce turbulence toward the end of said zone where the processing agent leaves said zone to diminish tendency for the gaseous agent to blow treating agent out of the strand, recirculating the gaseous processing agent in two independent circuits which supply said flow in two streams to opposite sides of the strand, the velocity and direction of the streams being as aforesaid, and introducing additional controlled amounts of processing agent substantially longitudinally at several points spaced longitudinally of the strand.

10. The method of processing an unwoven and unwebbed strand of textile material which has been treated with treatment matter, comprising supporting and moving horizontally a substantial straight strand of the material through three zones in sequence, passing a gaseous processing agent through said zones exclusively longitudinally of and in contact with the strand, the gas velocity in first zone being gradually increased in the direction of the second zone in order to diminish shock, the gas velocity in the second zone exceeding that required to yield the critical Reynolds number for tubulent flow, the

second zone being longer than the first and third and being the main treating zone, the gas velocity in the third zone being gradually decreased to diminish turbulence, to diminish tendency of the gaseous processing agent to blow the chemical treatment matter out of the strand.

Reierences Cited. in thefile of this,v gatent.

UNITED- STATES PATENTS Scharrer, MayS, 1896 M'orden July 28, 1925 Wheeler Oct. 6, 1925 Byrd Dec. 1, 1925 Bailey Mar. 1,.193'2 Cohoe .1 July 12, 1932 Walton Aug, 9, 1932 Masland May 9, 1933 Spooner July 16, 1935 Woodruff Aug. 20, 1935 Offen' Dec. 27, 1938 Williams Apr. 30, 1940 Brunkow June 25, 1940 12 011cm -..Y V., -.,.,.,.V Dec, 17.,,. 1940 Stephanofi; l.. Oct. 6,, 1942 MjcMordiea et: a1, Nov.,23, 1 943 Koster, r. Apr. 26, 1949 Sisson May 30, 1950 Wedler. Dec. 5,, 1950 Rode-n, Nov 30, 1951 Qberly Jan. 29, 1952 Griggs et al Aug. 5, 1952 Edwards July 14, 1953 Katz v q.., Nov. 17,1953

FQR'EIGN' PATENTS France Ian. 19, 1948 Great Britain Oct. 6, 1948 Great Britain Jam 27, 1949 

10. THE METHOD OF PROCESSING AN UNWOVEN AND UNWEBBED STRAND OF TEXTILE MATERIAL WHICH HAS BEEN TREATED WITH TREATMENT MATTER, COMPRISING SUPPORTING AND MOVING HORIZONTALLY A SUBSTANTIAL STRAIGHT STRAND OF THE MATERIAL THROUGH THREE ZONES IN SEQUENCE, PASSING A GASEOUS PROCESSING AGENT THROUGH SAID ZONES EXCLUSIVELY LONGITUDINALLY OF AND IN CONTACT WITH THE STRAND, THE GAS VELOCITY IN FIRST ZONE BEING GRADUALLY INCREASED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SECOND ZONE IN ORDER TO DIMINISH SHOCK, THE GAS 